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Chair

Designer Attributed to Christopher Dresser British, Scottish
Designer Roundels designed by John Moyr Smith
Manufacturer Coalbrookdale Company British
1870
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 516
The versatile artist Christopher Dresser is often celebrated as the first industrial designer. Philosophically, he was aligned with his contemporary William Morris on the virtues of good design but unlike Morris, he did not distain industrial production methods. Rather than affiliating himself with a single company or starting a workshop of his own, Dresser worked as an independent designer for manufacturers in many media, including ceramics, metalwork, glass, furniture and textiles. This cast iron chair is emblematic of the marriage of design reform to industrial production.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Chair
  • Designer: Attributed to Christopher Dresser (British, Glasgow, Scotland 1834–1904 Mulhouse)
  • Designer: Roundels designed by John Moyr Smith (British, 1839–1912)
  • Manufacturer: Coalbrookdale Company (British, established Shropshire, 1709)
  • Date: 1870
  • Culture: British, Coalbrookdale
  • Medium: Cast iron, wood
  • Dimensions: Overall (confirmed): 52 3/4 × 20 1/4 × 19 1/2 in. (134 × 51.4 × 49.5 cm);
    Height (seat): 18 in. (45.7 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Iron
  • Credit Line: Purchase, From the Marion E. and Leonard A. Cohn Collection, Bequest of Marion E. Cohn, by exchange, 2016
  • Object Number: 2016.568
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

More Artwork
Spoon holder, Christopher Dresser British, Scottish, Silver-plated brass, ebony, British, Birmingham or London
Spoon holder
Designer Design attributed to Christopher Dresser
Manufactory Hukin & Heath
ca. 1878–81
Banner, Silk, polychromy, British
Banner
British
late 18th century
Armchair, Cast iron, American
Armchair
American
1850–1900
The Love Song, Sir Edward Burne-Jones British, Oil on canvas
The Love Song
Sir Edward Burne-Jones
1868–77
Toast rack, Christopher Dresser British, Scottish, Silver plate, British, Birmingham and London
Toast rack
Designer Christopher Dresser
Manufacturer for firm of Hukin & Heath
1881

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